Help, roommate is freaking me out
 

Hey everybody,

I am a college sophomore. My roommate got dropped on her head during a training session a few days ago. She came home, threw up, and slept for 19hrs. She hasn't been feeling well and her head is still bleeding. We have finals next week and she refuses to be seen because she wants to get finals done with. It wouldn't be her first concussion, she is a national level soccer player...

She is forgetting simple things and has been studying the same page for hrs and can't remember doing so... let alone what she is studying.

She has a horrible headache and neck pain and seems to be dizzy. She isn't saying much and has a crazy pain tolerance. Example: she has cracks in her femur and still plays soccer and trains for triathlons with them...

I dont really know what to do.

This sounds pretty serious.
If you can't get her or take her to a dr, call the team trainer , school nurse or her family members..
She need to be checked by a doctor ASAP.

Tell her this could be a life altering injury and she must go get checked by a doctor.

She is refusing. I have tried calling people but no one is answering because it is late. She is asleep now, and has locked me out. It looks like she threw up again. She is so stubborn!

Kelly18,

Yes, as was said previously, she needs to be seen by a doctor. With the seriousness of her injury, she could fall out of bed during the night, hit her head and be in a life threatening situation.

But, her desire to get finals done is also a bad risk. She will likely do poorly, if not fail. Believe me. I've been there in college. I did not have the resources she has and nobody really understood concussion issues in 1974. I was an honor student with math and science as my strongest subjects but got a C- in my E&M Physics final. It ended my pursuit of dental school by killing my GPA. I bombed one other final, too. (a 5 credit C-).

I was just repeating a similar situation from high school where a soccer concussion cost me a full grade point average drop for 4 quarters.

If she gets checked, she can get a deferment of her finals until she is doing better. Without a medical examination, what ever grade she gets will likely stand.

To make matters even worse, she is pushing through the most critical period for rest. Research shows the first few days after a concussion are the most important. She should be resting until her headache resolves and her ability to concentrate recovers. Continuing to push may end her soccer career due to prolonging her recovery.

I hope I have emphasized enough. As Jo*Mar said, she may be making a life altering decision by not seeing a doctor.

And, keep her away from caffeine and energy drinks in case she thinks she needs a pick-me-up. No alcohol either.

Nothing is worth your health...she needs to be checked out.

Bud

She would kill me if she knew I was telling you all this. Her parents, at separate times, both got diagnosed with stage 4 cancer a few months ago. I don't know how she deals with it. She is the one who takes care of them. Medical bills are growing to atrocious heights and because of this, she always refuses health care...to save money to help her parents. No amount of coxing will get her to the doctors. She is one of the most selfless people I know but when she sets her mind to something, nothing will change that.

If she was my friend and had thrown up again, I'd call 911 and say she suffered a concussion and is unresponsive. In the US, the ER has to treat her regardless of payment. As a soccer player, the team should have medical resources available. Her prior concussion history contributes to the team's need to take care of her.

At the very least, call 911 and let the dispatcher sort it out based on protocols.

She is asleep... I woke her up and she woke up after a bit.

I asked if she would be okay with me calling 911 and she refused and started crying. She never cries so I don't know what to do. She woke up though, so thats good, right?

Calling 911 would but a huge burden on her and I asked her what she wanted and that definitely wasn't it. She just cried when I mentioned it.

She is having bad dreams about her parents. She woke up and seemed like she is talking to them but she isn't really awake. She is under so much stress but doesn't lead onto any of it.

You should at least cal a medical clinic and ask what to do. What resources are available ?

Most schools have a minimal medical care plan built in to the tuition.

There should be some way to get her to go..cost can be addressed later.
The team trainer?
free clinic?
ER - hospitals write off services all the time...

What about other relatives grandparents aunts/uncles /cousins?
She shouldn't be carrying the burden of her parents illnesses all alone..

2 non related by blood persons in the same home and both got dx with cancer??
I'd look into toxins in the home or some environmental causes.. especially if they lived in same home for a long time.

kelly18,

If she got dropped on her head during a training session, then she should have medical services available through the school. No school holds the athlete responsible for medical care related to play or training. Call the school health clinic or trainer's office.

Please, call and find her the help she needs. Help is available. What school is this ? Maybe I can research to find phone numbers to help.

The heath center on campus isn't open on the weekends. Hopefully she will go in tomorrow. The training session wasn't with the school, it was a training session for one of her hobbies, kempo.

She isn't one for talking about her feelings. She deals with them and just kinda puts them on her shoulders.

It sounds like kempo should no longer be a hobby. At the very least, not for 6 months or so. The health center should have a concussion assessment system or be able to refer her to a concussion assessment clinic.

She seriously needs to consider asking for a deferral on her finals. She is currently ADA qualified for accommodation. Her injury has created a disability to perform a daily function/ memorize and recall, etc. With a health center diagnosis taken to the Disabilities Office, she should be able to get a deferral on her finals. This is a common situation in many schools.

I am going into panic mode. She can't hear from one of her ears and her head is still bleeding. There is blood on her bed but she isn't home. I am not sure where she is.

What do I do?!

She seemed okay this morning. Got up and was speaking coherent sentences. Said she was going to church and then studying.

I just got home and my other friend told me about the hearing and when I went in her room there was blood on her pillow/bed.

Like the others said, call 911

kelly18,

I agree. With the additional symptoms, you need to get her to something more intensive that a school clinic. 911 would be good. Call and let them sort this out.

Well, she went in against her will. 10 stitches and a night in the hospital...she is not overly happy at the moment.

Glad to hear that she was seen by doctors. Now, she needs to ask for a deferral for her finals so she can give her brain the rest it needs so she can be successful next semester.

The docs aren't letting her go home tonight. So she is staying another night, they might let her go home tomorrow night... So she isn't even going to be on campus for finals.

She should also be assessed for a subtle neck injury. She can have a neck injury without any pain, just a bit of stiffness. It can make her concussion last much longer.

Glad you were there for her.